Seasonal

Fewer than 1 in 10 brits know when the UK’s most popular fruit and veg is in season. 

The UK imports half of its vegetables and nearly 90% of its fruit. What’s more scary is that in the winter, Europe sources 80% of its fresh produce from one region in southern Spain. We’re spoilt for choice, and have become accustomed to buying whatever we want, when we want. 

This design showcases the inherent beauty of fresh, seasonal produce and acts as a guide of what to eat and when. It’s colour coded light to dark, Spring (Spring Onions, Chicory, Spinach, & Lemons), Summer (Tomatoes, Asparagus, Carrots, Lettuce & Beans), Autumn (Corn, Raspberries, Aubergine & Figs), Winter (Pears, Parsnips, Apples, Leeks and Sprouts). The overlap of the produce symbolises the seasonal overlap influenced by weather conditions. 

Eating seasonally goes hand in hand with eating locally. This means local producers are not forced to grow out of season with artificial inputs like heat, light and fertilisers. 

Eating out of season has a massive carbon footprint due to the energy needed to recreate these conditions. 

If you think about it, is it really necessary to eat a plate of food that has been shipped thousands of miles from different parts of the world? What’s more, since local produce hasn’t travelled as far, it’s fresher and often richer in nutrients. This also means the produce is less reliant on harmful chemicals which have unfortunately become standard practice with out-of-season harvests. These artificial inputs are bad for the planet as well as your health - nobody wants to be ingesting unnecessary pesticides. Eating seasonally actually tastes much better, as well as being better for you!

If eating seasonally is something you want to support more, look at the labels. Before purchasing, check out the country of origin so you can make an informed choice. 

Get to know local green grocers and your food community - they need the support and this helps shape the movement! 

Read up. No textbooks needed - the beauty of food bloggers/Instagram/TikTok allows for a much more fun and creative look into how to cook seasonally.

Talk about it. Word of mouth is powerful and the more these subjects are spoken about, the higher up on the agenda they will become. 

By purchasing this print you are supporting charity organisations that advocate for a more sustainable food system - thank you!